Smoke-consuming furnace



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet V1.

H. P. K. PBCK.

SMOKE GONSUMING FURNAGE. No. 600,649. Patented Mar. 15,1898.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. I-I. P. K. PECK. SMOKE OONSUMING PURNAGB.

No. 600,649. Patented Mar. 15,1898.

l nTTnD STATES PATENT y Trice.

sflvloKE-coNsUMING FU'RNACL SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 600,649, dated March 15, 1898.

Application led May 28, 1897. Serial No. 638,557. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HOME-1R PRATT KELsnY PEOK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tenaiiy, in the county of Bergen and State of New Jersey, have made certain new and useful Improvements on the Invention for Smoke-Consuming and Fuel-Saving Furnaces for which Letters Patent were granted to me April 13, 1897, No. 580,712; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of said improvements, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, that will enable others to construct and use the same.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a perspective view exhibiting exterior devices. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the boiler-furnace, taken through the rear portion of the steam and air chest. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section showing certain parts in dotted lines. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the oscillating fuel-agitators under the grate. Fig. 5 is a side view of the agitators actuating connections. Fig. 6 is a view in perspective of the stoker and its fuel-spreading apron and their connections detached. Fig. 7 is a perspective View of the granular-'fuel-supplying device.

The drawings exhibit the several improvements in detail or as attached appliances, and show their particular relations to a boilerfurnace.

This invention comprises devices and mechanism designed in their combinations to cause the combustion and consumption of all the volatile carbonaceous constituents evolved in burning the various kinds of coal, especially of bituminous fuel, commonly used in boilerfurnaces, and to effect this object in close relation to the boiler Without Waste of heat and with great economy of labor.

To avail of the beneiit of `the entire thermal value and caloriic power of fuel as vused to generate steam, provision should be made to replenish the fuel to the grate-fire without allowing sufficient ingress of air directly over it to either cool the boiler or to force the volatile products unconsumed into the chimney exit-draft. To attain this end, itis of essential importance that an accurate gage and regulator of the supply and force of air-in-` duction and of the injection of steam (at proper times therewith) to the furnace-fire be provided, so that these elements necessary to cause combustion of the volatile matter evolved shall not be in volume and force in excess of the actual requirements, and thus impart too great impulse and velocity to the smoke and gas and drive them into the chimney-fluebeforetheyare consumed. Underthe unfavorable conditions mentioned the smoke may be consumed in its passage up the iiue, and as no smoke would then issue therefrom it would be assumed that all the desired results of utilizing the fuel in such a furnace were completely attained; but the fact that a large percentage of the thermal power contained in the volatile constituents of fuel is lost by being thus carried rapidly away from a combustion-chamber under the boiler is readily detected by the dropping of steampressure.

Although complete combustion of the smoke may be eected by the admission of an excessive quantity of air or of air and steam with undue force, yet a large percentage of the heating power under such conditions is expended, as above stated, in passing through the chimney-flue instead of being burned in close relation to the boiler. Lateral induction of steam and air to the combustion-chamber is the preferable method,

for the reason stated in the patent above cited. As about seventy-seven parts in measurement of air are nitrogen and twenty-three parts only are oxygen, (the life of combustion too forcibly feeding it in order to cause it `to commingle with and ignite the smoke `will at once rob the combustion-chamber of heat and correspondingly diminish steam production. Utilizing the thermal value and power of the volatile products of fuel by burning them (as well as its fixed carbon) in boilerfurnaces is of the highest importance, not only because there is an immensity of their number and to prevent the great damage caused and health impaired by the discharge of volumes of black smoke and soot from furnace-chimneys in all manufacturing cities, but for the reason that the varieties of coal used for steam-power production evolve, as an average, about thirty-six per cent. in value IOO of volatile combustible matter, as smoke, soot, and gas.

To secure all available benefits of the invention set forth in the Letters Patent granted to me, and above cited, for consuming smoke and saving fuel, and especially to provide means for more effectively avoiding the difficulties and objections hereinabove mentioned, I have devised and adapted to the furnace a mechanical fuel feeder or stoker to be quickly worked by hand-lever at regular times as required, and thereby to feed the fuel to the furnace in any suitable quantity, according to the` kind being used, without opening doors for the purpose and allowing air to enter and produce cooling of the boiler and cause too much impulse to be given to the draft, that would drive the volatile matter evolved beyond the combustion-chamber to the chimney-fine unconsumed, and thereby cause the caloriiic power to be wasted. With this new fuel-feeding appliance (which is well adapted to feed coal-slack aswell as vavibratory fuel-spreading apron consisting of small tubes communicating with each other, through which water or steam may be passed to prevent them from injury by exposure to heat. I have also organized an apparatus to work beneath the furnace-grate for agitating and spreading the coal thereon by means of oscillating prongs or teeth. It is worked by a hand lever or crank and acts as an assistant of the oscillating fu'el-spreading apron of the stoker, when required, to spread and move rearward the coal cast in by the Stoker-bucket, and also serves to open and break up the body of fuel that is being burned and permit necessary air-draft up through the ashpit and grate and to prevent the forming of clinkers.

An improvement for heating air consists in the use of a conductor or tunnel formed in the upper portion of the furnace bridge-wall that extends across at the rear ends of the grate-bars. It may be of iron, copper, or Afirebrick, as it will be subject to the greatest heat, as the heat rises from the fire to the combustion-chamber under the boiler in front of the adjustable diaphragm, and it conducts the air to be heated twice across said bridge and is provided with an air-entrance valve at its outer end, and air confined in it and heat- Aed to a high degree may be carried by the draft through the steam-chest (hereinafter described) at any time, so as to enter the furnace mixed with the dry steam to cause the ignition of smoke.

In making use of these improvements an auxiliary furnace will not be required, (as shown in the said former patent,) and in its place the rectangular air and steam mixing chest, which is divided horizontally into two compartments, is used and communicates through one entire open side with the furnace, which has a lcorresponding opening in its casing for the purpose directly above the horizontal line of the grate, and it should be of the length thereof. Its upper compartment will receive dry steam through the feedpipe reaching to the boiler-dome, which will have several j et-nozzles within the chest, and is provided with a faucet that is operated by means of a graduated handle bar or lever. The air heated in the said pipe or tunnel will enter it at its outer end, which has a regulatin g-valve at the side of the furnace, and after passing through this double conductor or tunnel that conveys it over the grate-bridge and returns it the air thus heated will also enter through the end of the steam-compartment of said chest.

M denotes the horizontally partitioned steam and air chest; O, the hot-air conductor.

Z denotes the air-induction valve near the end of chest M outside of the furnace.

S denotes the steam-pipe.

T denotes a sliding damper for air admission (when required) to the lower compartment of chest M. rious sizes of lump-coal) I have combined a The air and steam that pass through chest M by means of the conveyers specified will enter the furnace above the grate and with only sufficient force to properly diffuse them with'the volatile matter evolved and ignite it and cause its consumption in the combustionchalnber in front of the centrally-located bridge-wall D, behind which the adjustable `diaphragm F is located, (as in the patent above cited.) Its position may be changed to vary the capacity of the combustion-chamber,

`as may be necessary for different kinds of @furnace structures.

The spigot U of the steam-faucet is proamount and the force the injected steam shall exert, which will depend upon the degree of `pressure in the boiler at the time. irate hand bar or rod Y2, also having a gradu- A sepaated scale of serrations, is connected with the air-valve Z, as shown in the drawings, for

gaging the admission of air, and is operated in the manner of the spigot of the steamfaucet and by like means, and the adjustable diaphragm F is provided with the same kind of mechanism to raise and lower it, and each of the handle-bars Y Y' Y2 will be retained in positions to which they may be adjusted by means of their serrations resting upon a knife-edge plate near thefront, at the side of the furnace, for convenient access of the attendant, as is illustrated in Fig. ,l of the drawings. Air -draft is to be allowed up through the ash-pit and fire-grate when steam is not being injected, as specified. The combined hot air and steam are required to be injected after each fresh fuel-charge is spread upon the fire and the smoke and gas begin to arise; but the steam should be shut off quickly, as the smoke will be momentarily set ablaze lOO IIO

as soon as the steam and air become diffusedv with them, and then air-draft will be admitted again through the ash-pit and grate.

ln using the improvements described in the present specification it is apparent that it will not be necessary to employ cert-ain devices provided for use in operating the said patented invention above cited; but the adjustable diaphragm will be found to be of special utility to not only check draft for the brief space while dry steam is being admitted, but to determine the capacity of the combustion-chamber, and as it may be set at any angle it serves to determine the area of fluespace under the boiler, so that the latterwill correspond with the capacity of different boiler-tubes and amount of grate-surface in different structures.

rThe fuel-feeder A is located in the-front casing of the furnace; and it consists of a V-shaped metal trough or bucket, the inner wing A of which is formed, preferably, of a sheet of copper bounded at its ends and uppeil edge by a tube that communicates with the tubular shaftb, (to which it is secured,) and which is open at its ends and is j ournaled in bearings passing through the side casings of the furnace and across and in line with the front of the furnace above its doors. Below the stokers fuel-bucket A another similar tubular shaft or axle o is journaled in the same manner and parallel with said shaft b, and each end of it is also open. At the left-hand side of the furnace both of these shafts extend outside the casing of the furnace more than at the right-hand side and are mounted with cogged wheels 7.' 2", that work together, and a removable lever or crank d, with lips like a Wrench, is applied to the squared portion of the lower one to oscillate them with` their respective attached devices.

The shaft C has the spreading-apron e attached to it, which normally remains in a vertical plane close inside the furnace-doors. It is formed of a series of small iron or copper tubes arranged to leave open spaces or slots between them, and it extends under and is of the length of the bucket A. Apron e is` of a greater width than that of the inner wing a of the Stoker, so that it may receive and sift and spread, by oscillation, the fine granular fuel as Well as t-he other sorts as it drops upon itfromthestoker-bucket. Thetubesofwhich it is formed communicate with the tubular shaft C, on which the said apron e is rigidly mounted. The tubes of the Stoker and of the fuel-spreading apron, including their hollow gear-shafts b c, also thev pronged agitatorshafts H H', are designed to permit water or wet steam from a steam-condenserltank to be passed through them and preserve them from derangement or distortion from exposure to the furnace heat.

An apron air-guard E extends along under the upper side of the opening in the furnacefront in which the stoker works and just above It is suspended byl its journals Gr at its spread the fuel, and agitate the fire.

ends and serves to prevent ingress of air when the stoker is either acting or at rest, also as a check to it. The gravity of this hinged airguard, with its rounded thicker lower edge, will keep it in contact with the win g a (which also has its upper edge enlarged by its boundary tube) 4when they are brought in contact and the guard is behind the wing a. Thereby the stokeris held at rest to receive a charge of fuel; but the rearward tilting movement of the stoker to discharge its load will overcome the weight and resistance of the suspended air-guard E, and in returningto its normal upright position the wing a will swing the guard E frontward and pass under it, and the guard will again retain the Stoker, as above specied, to be reloaded witha `fuel-charge.

The tubular agitator-shafts should have small perforations in them to permit the Water conducted into them to drip into the ashpit, passing over their `pointed projecting teeth I, ,that work up between the grate-bars, push the fuel backward upon the grate, and assist to equalize its thickness thereon. Similar perforations may be made in the tubes contained in the spreading-apron e to allow a very small quantity of water or steam generated in them to percolate and thereby better preserve them, and it will cause powdered coal-slack to adhere sufficiently to form granules less liable to escape to the ash-pit. This small access of steam will not check combustion, but will promote it in a highly-heated furnace. i

To save labor and the annoyance of' shoveling coal-slack into the Stoker-bucket, it may be supplied from an elevated hopper or box f, as indicated in Fig. 7, having a tubular conducting-pipe,flexible at its connection at f', and over this metal fuel-conductor a larger tube h, provided witha valve 7L,works like the sections of a telescope, and ahandle fa, reaching down to be held by the attendant, will enable him to pass the discharging end of sliding tube h along over the stoken, so as to deposit the gravitating coal-slack or granulated fuel in desired quantity, distributin git equally from end to end in the Stokerbucket A.

H H denote the tubular agitator-shafts having their journals K supported in the sides of the furnace-casing in the manner of the stoker-shafts, and each is armed with curved prongs or teeth l to work in the arc of a circle upward between the grate-barll,

e oscillating shaft H is pivotally connected to the shaft H by a link, as shown in llligs. 4E and 5, so that the oscillating action (by means of a crank) of the shaft H is communicated to the shaft H', thereby causing the curved teeth l of both shafts to act at the same time and at suitable distances apart to perform their functions.

The improvements herein described are designed to contribute harmoniously to atp tain practically very important results- IOO IIO

namely, economizing in the use of fuel, obviating the prevalent damage and annoyance caused by the contamination of the atmosphere from the outpouring of smoke and soot from furnace-chimneys, facilitating the operations of attendants and consequently saving in cost of labor, and preventing undue deterioration of steam boilers that is caused by irregular stoking and heat-generating. To avoid the latter result, frequent small charges of fuel is most important. Many devices have vbeen introduced to accomplish these purposes, and some have proven useful in a good degree, yet there is Wanting adequate means of attaining entire success. The advent of the self-acting stoker, as in Griflins patent of 1872 andshown in Bontas patent of 1876, has been followed up by positively-acting stokers located Within the furnace-doors exposed to intense heat, rendering them liable to become distorted, so as to require frequent repairs; nor do they include entirely adequate means of spreading coal-slack and some other of the cheaper kinds of fuel evenly over the furnace-grate. It is apparent that the above obstacles Will, in a great measure,be surmounted by the use of the improvements described in the foregoing speciication.

In using the above-described combinations of component parts the attendant Will actuate the loaded fuel-Stoker by means of the crank D, that fits over the outer squared portion of the projecting end of the fuel-spreader shaft C, dumping the charge upon said apron e, that rises simultaneously with the dumping action of the bucket A, and then said vibratory apron e (after shipping gear-wheel z" out of connection With gear-Wheel 'L' by means of clutch-lever X) Will be rapidly shaken by the attendant to spread the fuel it receives onto the burning fuel, and at once he Will close the air-ingress under the grate, open the steamfaucet U and the hot-air induction-valve Z by adjusting the gaging hand-bars Y Y2, and he Will also at the same time adjust the diaphragm F to check chimney-draft, and at this stage of operation the volatile products that arise from the fresh feed of fuel Will become iniiamed, and then the steam-faucet will be closed and the ash-pit dampers will again be opened, and the diaphragm Will then be readjusted to a position to allow necessary Hue-space under `the boiler.

The engineer or attendant Will readily ascertain What amount of steam is required and the degree'of force it must exert to effect its mixture with the inducted hot air and With the smoke to ignite and inliame it, so that he Will be able to gage the faucets capacity definitely by means of the scale of serrations in the handle-bar, which operates the faucets spigot, and by these means an excessive steam-induction Will be prevented, and thus assure the combustion of the volatile matter in close relation to the boiler. Under normal conditions when a particular kind of fuel vimparted to the shafts b c.

yis being used the serrated gaging-handles for steam and air admission, having respectively been adjusted to the proper position for the purpose specified on the knife-.edge rest, may be fastened together in their said adj usted relation, (for the time being,) so as to be jointly acted upon (as one) and open the steam-faucet and the air-valve Z to the proper extent, also to close them by one manipulation.

The Water-pipes g, leading from tank g, are much smaller than the hollow shafts h c, which they enter. The central orice at the mouths of said shafts is reduced in size to prevent the escape of Water around the entered ends of said pipes g; but the central oritice is sufficiently large to prevent undue friction on the pipes by the oscillating action Similar means of Water-supply to the agitator-shafts H H will be used. The Water-faucets Will ordinarily be adjusted to allow but a small quantityof Water to enter the several tubular shafts, and the oscillating motion given them Will cause general circulation of the Water throughout the tubular structures mounted upon said shafts and prevent said structures from derangement and damage vby reason of their being subjected to the great heat of the furnace.

The improvements specified may be applied with little expenditure to furnaces noW in use, as comparatively small alterations Will be required, the principal one of Which Will be a change in the height of the fu rnace-doors and in its front casing to adapt the Stoker and the fuel-spreader to their proper location in the openin g made therein. Only small alterations Will be necessary to apply the other improved devices.

To prevent misapprehension regarding steam and hot-air induction to inflame the smoke before it escapes, it must be observed that force and velocity are indispensable;

. but with the present combination of devices for this purpose the necessary force imparted to the air and steam will not increase liability of escape of smoke unconsumed, but it will tend to retard its draft, because the entire quantity of steam and hot air Will enter by the laterally-arranged chest M and forcibly encounter byaflank attackthe volatile matters and cause agitation and revolution of them transversely to the direction of iiuedraft under the boiler, and thus assure complete combustion of said matters in the combustion-chamber.

v For conveniently conducting coal-slack to the bucket A a thin plate of sheet metal may be hinged to the upper edge of the front Wingl of the bucket, about ten inches Wide, which may be raised from a pendent position in front of the bucket and held by a latch at a suitable angle and serve to guide the fuel into the bucket as the adjustable tube h is passed along upon it from end to end of the bucket to discharge the fuel into it.

Having fully described my invention, in compliance with the requirements of the law ICO IIO

in such cases made and provided, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. In combination With a furnace for consuming smoke, a mechanical fuel-feeding appliance comprising a tubular axle shaft mounted With tvvo radial Wings that form a bucket by being closed at the ends,located in an opening in the front of the furnace-casing and journaled in the sides thereof, to be intermittently oscillated to discharge fuel upon a vibratory slotted apron, and spread it over the furnace fire-grate as herein set forth.

2. The combination with va furnace, of a dumping stoking appliance having a longitudinal coal-receiving bucket, and j ournaled to oscillate in the front casing of the furnace, provided With a hand-crank, to dump its charge of fuel above the furnace-grate at intervals, upon the interposed vibratorjT fuelspreader secured to a tubular axle-shaft as and for the purpose specified. 3. The combination of the stoking appliance journaled to oscillate in an opening formed in the front of the furnace-casing,with a pendent hinged air-guard arranged longitudinally above the Stoker-bucket, and provided with an enlarged loWer edge, and Which by its gravity Works in contact with the inner bucket- Wing, to prevent ingress of air, and to retain the stoker While being charged with fuel, as set forth.

4. The combination with a furnace, of a vibratin g fuel-stoker having a V- shaped bucket attached to a tubular shaft, and bounded by a tube that communicates with said shaft; a pendent hinged air-guard that swings over the inner tube-bounded Wing of the bucket, and by its gravity is held in contact therewith during the passage of said Wing beneath it, as set forth.

5. The combination With a smoke-burning furnace, of the mechanical vibratory stoker, the suspended air-guard above it, the fuelspreading tubular slotted'apron, and the agitating and fire -stirring devices under the grate, and the actuating mechanism, forfeeding, spreading, and agitating the fuel as set forth.

6. The combination Withl a furnace, of a fuel-spreading vibratory apron above the grate, and an auxiliary fuel-stirring oscillating mechanism, under the grate, mounted able by a hand-bar, provided with gagingserrations, and extending to the front of the furnace as set forth.

8. In a smoke-consuming furnace the steam and air comminglin g chest M, arranged to the furnace above the fire-grate, in combination with steam and heated-air conducting pipes provided With regulating and gaging mechanism, to prevent an excessive, and too forcible induction of the mixed steam and air to the'fire-chamber, as and for the purpose set forth.

9. The combination in a furnace for consuming volatile products of fuel, the stoker, provided With a tubular shaft, the air-guard E, the hot-air-induction devices and steam-inj ecting mechanism With their regulating and gaging attachments, as herein set forth.

l0. The combination in a boiler-furnace, of the fuel-feeding mechanism, comprising a vibratory bucket, a retaining hinged bucketcheck and air-guard E, operating-gear on the shaft to Work in conjunction With a shipping gear-wheel on the shaft of the oscillating fuelspreader,` to simultaneously actuate them; the air and steam ingress governing and gaging mechanism, and the adjustable draftchecking diaphragm, as set forth.

ll. In a boiler-furnace for consuming the volatile emissions of burning fuel in a combustion-chamber under the boiler, the adjustable draft-checking diaphragm, the steam and air conductors and their induction-chest the air, the steam, and the diaphragm adjusting and gaging mechanism; and the gear-connected Stoker and its slotted tubular fuelspreading apron, the tubular toothed and perforated fuel-spreading and fire-stirring vibratory shafts under the grate, in combination; and operating in the manner, and by the actuating mechanism as above specified.

l2. The flexibly-attached fuel-feeding conductor-pipes communicating with an elevated fuelbin, and telescopically connected together, provided With a pendent handle for adjusting and guiding the discharging end-of the conductors sliding section It, in combination With the dumping Stoker-bucket A, into which the fuel is discharged by the manipulation of an attendant as specified.

13. In combination with a smoke-consuming furnace, having a mechanical fuel-stoking appliance; a fuel-dumping bucket and vibratory fuel-spreading devices formed principally of communicating tubes for the introduction and circulation of Water or steam therein, to preventinjury by exposure to th furnace-heat, as set forth. v

14. In combination With a boiler-furnace for the combustion of coal-slack and the smoke evolved therefrom, the dumping fuel-Stoker, and the slotted tubular fuel sifting and spreading vibratory apron, provided With perforations'for the percolation of moisture, as and for the purpose specified.

l5. In a smoke-consuming furnace, the `vibratory Stoker-bucket With an air guard above it, and fuel-spreading apron below it, to receive the fuel from the stoker, and discommunicate With an opening in the side of j tribute it onto the gratefire; and. operating In testimony hereof Ihave set myname this mechanism to simultaneously aotuate them; 26th day of May, 1897.

in combination'with air and steam induction pipes to inject and diffuse said elements as HOMER PRATT KELSEY BECK' required with the smokeevolved by the burn- In presence ofing fuel in the furnace to cause the combusv ALFRED JARVIS, tion thereof as specied. JAS. E. BUTLER. 

